SCBA's for firefighters and/or miners include face masks arranged in sealed relationship around the facial skin of the firefighter or miner. The miner or firefighter is supplied with gas, typically compressed air, from a bottled source carried on the back of the firefighter or miner. Gas flows from the source to inside the sealed mask via a flexible hose connected to an inlet of the sealed mask. The aforementioned equipment is used because of noxious fumes encountered by firefighter and/or miners working in the environment of fire in a modern building or in a mine.
A problem with these sealed face masks is that condensate has a tendency to form on an optically transparent visor carried on the mask in front of the user's eyes to enable the user to see the surrounding environment. The condensate on the visor obscures (i.e., fogs) the vision of the user, frequently to the point where the firefighter or miner is unable to function adequately in the environment where he is located.
Condensate forms on the visor interior, i.e., a surface of the visor in closest proximity to the face of the user, as a result of perspiration from the user vaporizing and condensing on the visor interior surface. Condensate forms on the visor exterior when the user enters a region of very high humidity and elevated temperature. For example, when a firefighter applies high pressure water to a very hot object, superheated steam is formed and condenses as liquid on the visor.
I have been advised that nose cups have been unsuccessfully used in the past in an attempt solve the condensate problem. However, prior art devices have not prevented sealed visors of SCBA's from becoming virtually opaque as a result of condensate forming thereon. In the past, when firefighters and miners have had their vision obscured as a result of condensate being formed either on the interior or exterior visor surface, the only safe remedy has been for the user to leave the premises. Such a procedure is obviously unsatisfactory because it reduces the amount of time that the firefighter or miner can remain on the job. In the case of a firefighter it may prevent extinguishing a fire in a burning building. In the case of a miner it may prevent rescue of humans trapped in a mine explosion.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing condensate from a visor of a sealed SCBA face mask.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure for removing condensate from a sealed SCBA transparent face visor wherein the condensate removing apparatus is electrically activated by a power supply carried by the user.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a condensate removing device for a visor of a sealed SCBA face mask, which device is particularly adapted to be used under many environmental situations including the high temperatures and noxious fumes encountered in fires in modern buildings.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for removing condensate formed on an exterior surface of a visor of a sealed SCBA face mask wherein the condensate results from super heated steam being generated in response to high pressure water being incident on a hot, burning surface.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for removing condensate formed on an interior surface of a sealed SCBA visor wherein the condensate results from a user perspiring because of high temperature environmental conditions and the work involved in carrying modern emergency apparel, e.g., a firefighting suit.